Tuesday, May 28, 2013

How an Online Reputation Can Hurt Your Job Hunt

This
is a guest post by Chris Forman, CEO of the online job-search organizer StartWire.

If you are looking for a job, you need to be aware
of your digital footprint – the information connected with your name online.
Companies and recruiters routinely check search engine results to learn more
about potential employees.

In
fact, 90% of executive recruiters say they conduct online research of potential
candidates, according toExecuNet. Up to 70% of employers who have used LinkedIn say they've chosen not to hire a
person based on what they've found out about them online. However, only 27% of
employers give job seekers the opportunity to discuss the online content that
is associated with their name, such as social media profiles, blog posts and
photos.

This suggests that job seekers should be thinking
as much about their online persona as their interview attire. Questionable
content and social media red flags can take a promising candidate out of the
running, but the savvy job seeker can cultivate a positive digital presence.
Here’s how to screen and protect your online reputation and avoid ending up in
a potential employer’s pile of rejected candidates.

Check
your online identity. Run
various searches for your name on major search engines and social media sites.
If you’re noticing that the top results are from non-professional sources
linked to your name, then it’s time to update your professional profiles. At
least one of the top five search results for your name should relate to your
professional interests. LinkedIn has high visibility in Google search results,
so maintaining a comprehensive, up-to-date LinkedIn profile helps
significantly.

Put
your best foot forward. Use
your social media profiles to demonstrate your strengths and signal to
employers that you are the best candidate for the job. Everyone has unique
interests outside of their work life, and your social media profiles can shine
a positive light on these hobbies. Post freely about accomplishments, such as
marathon running or charity work. If an employer stumbles across your personal
profiles, your unique interests can be a strong complement to your professional
credentials.

Quora, a
site that lets you ask and answer questions about any topic, is a good place to
demonstrate knowledge as well as your interests outside of work. For example,
you can build a positive online reputation by answering questions that align
with your professional background. You can also show off your personal
interests by answering questions about the city you live in or places you would
like to visit.

Limit
negative content. With privacy settings constantly
changing on Facebook and other social sites, it’s better to be safe than sorry
about what you share on social media. After reviewing your social media
profiles to make sure your content consists of information you would like to
share with employers, use tools to scan what remains.

For
Facebook, Secure.Me is
a free tool that reviews content, protects profiles from dangerous links and
viruses, and monitors photos and friends’ posts. When in doubt, do not post
anything online that you wouldn't want a future employer to see. If there is a
chance that your connections would post unflattering comments about you, check
the privacy setting for approving content before it is posted to your Facebook
timeline.

Leave
no room for confusion. If
you have a common name, you risk being mistaken for someone else online. Rather
than taking the blame for others’ mistakes, look for ways to differentiate
yourself.

For example, someone with the name “Chris Andrews”
who is a CPA, could use “Chris Andrews, CPA” in online profiles or consider
including a middle name or initial. Registering a unique URL with your name for
your social media accounts improves the chances that employers will find your
profiles, rather than those of someone else with the same name.

With recruiters paying close attention to job
seekers’ social media profiles, it is imperative to maintain control of your
online social presence. Today, these profiles are an extension of your resume
and should be used to help – not hurt – your chances of landing the
next golden job opportunity.

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